Lion Sports Update (09/04)

Cross Country 
The varsity cross country team kicked off its 5K season on August 30 at the Marcus Coach T Invitational, delivering a strong performance highlighted by seven new personal records. Junior Jackson Bailey led the Lions with a lifetime-best time of 16:52. Freshman Nicholas Cho followed with a personal record of 17:53, while sophomores Lawson Boutros (17:59 PR) and Josh Nunez (18:09 PR) also impressed.
Newcomers made a notable impact in their debuts: Ward Beasley clocked in at 18:17, William Cho finished in 18:21 (PR), and Payton Elder crossed the line in 18:28 (PR). Veterans Nathan Aldis (19:06) and Ailesh Sadruddin (19:10) provided consistency, while sophomore Kai Cooper rounded out the top ten with a significant PR of 19:30. The JV squad was sidelined due to inclement weather. The Lions now look ahead to a weekend off before competing at the Lucas Lovejoy meet on September 13.

Volleyball
The varsity volleyball team began its campaign to defend the SPC championship last Friday. Despite returning only one starter and losing two key players to injury, the Lions refused to back down. Embracing a “next man up” mentality, the team showed resilience and heart.
Led by senior leadership and contributions from younger players, the Lions pushed Greenhill to five sets in their season opener. Though they fell short of a win, the performance signals a promising and exciting season ahead.

Football
The Lions football team opened its season on the road against Fort Worth Country Day. The first half featured a competitive back-and-forth, including a highlight play from junior Ford Robinson, who returned an onside kick for a touchdown. However, the Falcons took control in the second half, ultimately securing a 44–14 victory.
Junior David Dickson led the Lions’ ground game with 13 carries for 86 yards and a touchdown. The Lions will look to bounce back in their home opener this Friday at 7:00 p.m. against the Cistercian Hawks.

Water Polo
In front of a packed crowd at the new Levering Pool, the varsity water polo team delivered a commanding performance against cross-town rivals Jesuit last Thursday. Holding a narrow 6–4 lead at halftime, the Lions surged ahead in the second half, outscoring the Rangers 3–1 in the third quarter and 4–1 in the fourth to seal a 13–6 victory.
Senior Matthew Liu and sophomore Eddie Stehel led the offense with three goals each. Junior Max Lee and senior Oliver Geheb added two apiece. Senior goalie Andrew Zhang anchored the defense with an impressive 21 saves. The team heads to Houston this weekend to compete in Strake Jesuit’s Crusader Classic.